As more than 2,000 Milwaukee professionals congregated at BizTimes Media’s 11th annual BizExpo last week, one pair of entrepreneurs used the day as a platform to launch a new business.
Brian and Anna Mayer, a husband-wife team who have been working together for 12 years, introduced Little Studio Creative, a Milwaukee-based agency specializing in design, branding and storytelling.
“We’re about branding and storytelling and about how all the different pieces of it relate,” said Brian, principal and creative director.
Little Studio Creative will primarily focus on helping companies better communicate their brand and their stories, advising executives who know the direction they want to take their business but need guidance along the way.
The company’s main competencies cover photography, video and strategy, according to Brian, who said he wants to make the luxury of video and photo media available to small and mid-sized companies in the region, particularly those experiencing growth or transition.
Little Studio Creative operates with the tagline “Release the Superhero Within” as it works to make its clients look as good as possible.
“We’re there to be Robin, making Batman look good,” said Brian, who concentrates on web development and business operations while Anna handles the photography and videography services.
Examples of the couple’s work include the development of a corporate website for medical device company DFINE, Inc. and the creation of a video for Poppy Blue Photography to help the owner convey her passion for pet photography through her struggle with Parkinson’s disease.
Prior to launching Little Studio Creative, Brian and Anna ran separate photography and web development businesses out of their Glendale home, where they are raising four children.
They moved their family to Milwaukee from San Jose, Calif., six years ago as they sought a more affordable city along with Midwestern values and work ethic.
Now, as they consolidate their services under one business, they are preparing to move into a 600-square-foot office at 225 E. St. Paul Ave. in Milwaukee’s Third Ward. That space will allow them to neighbor prospective clients and be surrounded by other agencies they may be able to collaborate with in the future.
The business partners, who are the only full-time employees at Little Studio Creative, also rely on a steady stream of freelancers to accommodate the nuances of their projects.
Looking at growth potential, Brian and Anna hope to build an agency of 10 to 15 employees, according to Brian.
The immediate priority, however, centers on building a strong base of local clients, he said, and helping people through the power of creativity.
“We’re really driven by the purpose of being creators,” Brian said.
“For us to be successful, we just want to help other people be successful,” he added.
For more information on Little Studio Creative and its menu of storytelling services, visit www.littlestudiocreative.com.
